brilliant ideas episode #37: samson young · brought household items such as fans and plastic...

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Brilliant Ideas Episode #37: Samson Young Artist who paints with sounds

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Brilliant�Ideas�Episode�#37:�SamsonYoungArtist�who�paints�with�sounds

Including�live�performances,�videos,�and�sound�drawings,�the�Hong-Kong

based�artist�Samson�Young’s�artworks�cover�various�genres;�on�the

background�exists�music,�which�combines�all�the�different�works�together.�To

the�artist,�music�is�the�heart�that�makes�his�creative�works�breathe.

Merging�images�and�sounds�to�present�artworks�we�could�not�imagine,

Young�creates�experimental�mixes�of�diverse�genres�like�a�DJ.�The�artist

believes�that�if�art�has�a�role,�it�would�be�realizing�our�imaginations.�Brilliant

DJing�with�art

Ideas�Episode�#37,�presented�by�Bloomberg�and�Hyundai�Motor,�features

Samson�Young,�who�fully�embodies�his�motto�in�his�artworks.

Samson�Young’s�interest�in�music�started�from�his�childhood�in�Australia.�Like

a�fever,�he�had�been�possessed�in�playing�every�instrument.�This�experience

became�a�solid�base�of�his�creative�world�today.�Studying�music�composition

in�the�U.S.�afterwards,�he�was�inspired�by�many�musicians�and�started�his

artistic�experiments.�As�he�continued�to�experiment�with�music,�his�works

gradually�proceeded�towards�a�new�direction,�not�being�limited�to�certain

music�genres.�Interactive�performance�art�was�one�of�the�many�areas�he

approached.�<Memorizing�the�Tristan�Chord>(2013)�is�based�on�<Tristan�und

Isolde>�by�the�German�composer�Richard�Wagner.�Samson�Young�let�70

people�in�front�of�a�camera�to�put�Chinese�words�they�want�respectively�to

the�music,�which�is�beyond�the�traditional�form�of�composition.�Keeping�the

chords�of�the�music,�he�let�the�people�sing�whatever�comes�to�their�mind�at

the�moment.�Some�sang�the�original�lyrics,�while�other�spontaneously�spoke

about�issues�in�their�minds�such�as�politics,�history,�or�daily�lives,�putting

unique�spins�of�each�individual�on�the�music,�which�has�a�remarkable

meaning�in�the�music�history.�To�the�artist,�who�has�tried�new�things�through

the�creative�processes,�art�is�not�about�sending�a�message�but�a�journey�for

solving�complex�issues�in�the�world.�He�wants�to�go�on�this�journey�with�the

viewers.

Communication�between�music�and�art

<So�You�Are�Old�By�the�Time�You�Reach�the�Island>(2016)�was�commissioned

by�‘Art�Basel�Hong�Kong�2016.’�In�this�interactive�work,�the�participants

walked�on�the�60-minute�route�in�downtown�Hong�Kong�designed�by�the

artist�in�advance.�The�place�where�this�project�was�conducted�was�where�the

pro-democracy�Umbrella�Revolution�occurred�in�2014,�which�carries

tremendous�importance�in�social�and�historical�aspects.�While�trying�to�reach

the�destination�with�the�kit�for�finding�directions�including�a�radio,�a�map,

and�a�compass�given�beforehand,�the�participants�faced�live�performances

and�recorded�sounds�hidden�in�several�places.�When�they�arrived�at�the

destination,�they�received�a�phone�number,�which�Samson�Young�answered,

standing�on�a�highway.�The�project�ended�with�the�artist�singing�a�song�to

each�participant.�This�project�represented�his�intent�to�add�importance�to�the

meaningful�place�by�communicating�through�a�song�with�people.

Samson�Young�is�famous�for�travelling�between�experimental�music�and

sounds�and�contemporary�art.�His�intensive�research�for�the�artworks�also

stands�out.�In�particular,�he�focuses�on�studying�the�history�of�a�place�and

letting�people�know�about�the�history�through�sounds.�<Liquid�Borders>

(2012-2014)�is�a�work�that�introduced�sound�drawing,�a�new�breakthrough�in

art.�The�project�started�in�2012,�when�the�Hong�Kong�government�decided�to

open�the�border�between�China�and�Hong�Kong,�he�concentrated�on�the

anxiety�that�had�been�growing�about�the�opening.�Young�began�his�research

by�walking�along�the�path�stretched�on�the�border�alongside�the�barber-

wired�fence,�feeling�the�vibration�on�the�wire�created�by�external�factors.�He

went�on�and�made�an�archive�of�records�contained�in�the�barbed�wires.�Some

may�have�imagined�the�sound�of�the�wires�to�be�ambiguous,�while�others

may�not�have�even�thought�about�how�it�would�sound;�the�sounds�were�low-

pitched�and�quiet�defying�expectations,�leading�Young�towards�a�new�form

of�imagination.�The�artist�recorded�the�sound�of�the�wires�and�the

surrounding�environment,�made�it�into�a�score�using�a�voice�synthesis

Opening�new�chapter�of�art

system,�and�then�transformed�it�into�graphics.�Added�with�the�drawings�of

booklets,�pictures,�and�maps�published�by�the�government,�the�artwork

introduced�a�path�to�a�new�style�in�which�music�and�art�was�combined.

In�2015,�Young�made�his�name�in�the�art�scene�of�New�York.�Displayed�at�his

debut�exhibition�in�New�York,�<Nocturne>(2015)�approached�the�viewers�in

an�unusual�manner�unlike�other�artworks.�Removing�sounds�from�the

bombing�footages�around�the�world�collected�from�the�Internet,�the�artist

brought�household�items�such�as�fans�and�plastic�containers�to�the�gallery

and�created�sounds�similar�to�explosions.�The�sounds�of�daily�life�processed

by�a�computer�and�the�displayed�video�formed�a�unique�scene.�The�work

pointed�out�how�people�were�ignorant�of�wars�they�only�encounter�indirectly

through�the�media,�while�big�and�small�wars�are�always�going�on�throughout

the�world.�It�also�metaphorically�reflected�the�artist’s�opinion�about�the

political�issues.�Travelling�the�boundaries�of�various�genres�beyond�simple

sounds�and�music�to�satisfy�people’s�desire�for�art,�Samson�Young�is�an�artist

of�a�rare�kind.�Saying�“My�works�may�seem�lack�of�unity�because�they�do�not

stay�in�one�place.�But�working�with�sounds�is�what�gives�me�most�pleasure

and�happiness,”�Samson�Young�is�an�extraordinary�musician�and,�at�the�same

time,�an�artist�who�attempts�to�change�our�way�of�thinking.�■�with

ARTINPOST

Memorizing�the�Tristan�Chord�(2013),�Sound,�Video-�Bloomberg�capture�still

The�art�world�of�Samson�Young�forms�a�harmony�between�sound�and�visual

images.�Through�the�experimental�practices�using�mixed�mediums�such�as

performance,�radio�broadcasts,�films,�installations�and�sound�drawings,�he�is

expanding�the�realm�of�creation.�His�works�that�have�been�completed�after

an�extensive�research�focus�on�subjects�of�conflicts,�war�and�political�issues

with�a�sense�of�wit.�

Born�in�1979�in�Hong�Kong,�Samson�Young�studied�philosophy�and�gender

studies�at�University�of�Sydney,�and�composition�at�Princeton�University�and

now�he�is�devoting�himself�to�producing�art�works.�He�has�had�numerous

solo�exhibitions�including�exhibitions�at�the�Kunsthalle�Dusseldorf�and�the

Hiroshima�City�Museum�of�Contemporary�Art,�and�participated�in�various

festivals�such�as�the�‘Internationale�Ferienkurse�fur�Neue�Musik�Darmstadt’

and�the�‘Hong�Kong�Arts�Festival’.�He�has�also�been�selected�as�an�artist�to

represent�Hong�Kong�at�the�‘Venice�Biennale’�in�2017.

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